The two girls in Imperial Assassination Unit uniforms were none other than Cornelia and Akame.
"This time... we'll kill Najenda—for Father, and for everyone else. With this sword—Father's One-Cut Killer · Murasame!" Akame's expression darkened, her finger resting lightly on the hilt as a faint, chilling light gleamed across the blade. Her tone was heavy with murderous resolve.
"Yes... revenge." Cornelia's voice trembled slightly—not from fear, but from anticipation. The moment she thought of facing their enemy again, the memory of that dreadful day rose vividly in her mind.
Two years ago, in the Empire's southern provinces, Gozuki and five surviving members of the Imperial Assassination Unit's elite squad confirmed Najenda's betrayal beyond doubt. They decided to eliminate her.
According to their plan, Green used high-yield explosives provided by Selene to annihilate most of Najenda's forces. The initial assault on the encampment went smoothly—there was little organized resistance.
But they had gravely underestimated the combat strength of Najenda's core officers.
With two Teigu users from the Revolutionary Army (Chelsea and an unknown liaison), two of Najenda's own sub-commanders, and Najenda herself, there were a total of five Teigu users opposing them.
Gozuki's side, on the other hand, had only himself as a Teigu user—his five subordinates were all Shingu users.
Due to the Empire's northern extermination campaign against the foreign tribes, Esdeath had not gone personally to punish Najenda's rebellion as she did in the original timeline. Instead, she had been in the north, receiving her father's killer—Numa Seika—from Hak Foo's custody.
Because of that, Najenda survived that fateful battle, avoiding the crushing defeat she would have otherwise suffered... but Gozuki's team paid the price.
Though Najenda seemed unimpressive—her subordinates had been effortlessly slaughtered by Esdeath in the past, and she herself crippled in an instant—that comparison meant nothing. Against ordinary assassins, Najenda was still a monster.
As a General of the Empire, she wielded the Teigu Romantic Fortress · Pumpkin.
Pumpkin, a gun-type Teigu capable of converting the user's mental energy into shockwave blasts, grew more powerful the greater the user's emotional tension in battle.
Its ultimate art—High Output Blast Blade—greatly amplified its destructive output, placing it among the most powerful ranged Teigu in existence.
Having lost the element of surprise due to the initial explosion, Gozuki's assassination plan quickly fell apart.
In the desperate melee that followed, Gozuki single-handedly held off Najenda's furious assault. Pony and Tsukushi sacrificed their lives to take down the flute-type Teigu user who served as Najenda's liaison with the Revolutionary Army.
Najenda's two Teigu-using lieutenants turned their attention to Cornelia, Akame, and Green.
Eventually, Gozuki fell. As Najenda's Pumpkin blast struck him, he hurled Murasame to his daughters with the last of his strength, ordering Cornelia and Green to escape with Akame.
Pursued to the end, Green chose to stay behind, detonating himself to buy them time.
Of the seven members of the Imperial Assassination Unit's elite squad, only Cornelia and Akame survived.
The memory burned deep. Cornelia clenched her fists so tightly that her knuckles whitened, her nails piercing her palms and drawing thin trails of blood.
As the unit's No. 3-ranked assassin, she felt utterly useless—unworthy of her title. Unlike Nahashu or Guy, she hadn't been able to protect her siblings. Instead, they had protected her—at the cost of their own lives.
"Najenda... I will kill you." Cornelia swore it, her voice trembling with fury.
Suddenly—creak...
The grand palace doors swung open, and the attendant's voice echoed softly through the hall. "Ladies, this way, please."
"Oh, thank you..."
Shaking off her self-blame, Cornelia took Akame by the hand, following the attendant through a series of ornate palace doors into the heart of Schönbrunn Palace.
Crossing an elevated corridor that overlooked the sprawling palace gardens, they could see everything—the grand Baroque architecture stretching endlessly, with fountains, flowerbeds, and pavilions adorning the scenery.
"The life of nobles, huh... Nahashu and Guy would have loved this," Cornelia murmured wistfully.
But before she could sink further into thought—
CLANG!
Two massive halberds crossed before them, their blades gleaming coldly as several towering shadows fell across the path.
A moment later, a deep, metallic voice rumbled through the hall. "Halt! State your business!"
"So tall... and huge..." Akame tilted her head back nearly ninety degrees, finally getting a clear look at the figures towering before them.
Twelve soldiers, each at least three meters tall, stood like statues in gleaming golden power armor. They wore crimson cloaks and held long-handled, single-edged war axes—the Royal Guard Legion.
"By order of the Great General, we've come to report," Cornelia said firmly.
"Lay down your—hm?" The leading guard started to command them to disarm but suddenly froze mid-sentence. "Understood."
"The Great General permits your entry," he declared, stepping aside. The other guards followed suit, forming an aisle and pushing open the massive golden doors.
"..."
Cornelia and Akame exchanged a glance. Both swallowed hard, straightening their backs and forcing their trembling knees to stay firm.
Even Akame—usually stoic to the point of seeming emotionless—felt her courage waver. The last time she had stood before Selene, the sheer pressure—both physical and psychological—had been overwhelming. The memory alone made her stomach tighten.
The difference in power and status, the towering architecture that made them feel like ants beneath a god, the intimidating presence of the colossal armored guards, and above all—the sheer might of the one who ruled this palace.
How could they not be nervous?
"Cornelia... you go first," Akame murmured as they stood before the entrance to the grand central hall of Schönbrunn Palace, staring up at the towering, shadowed throne within.
"...All right."
Together, the sisters stepped forward, their footsteps echoing faintly in the vast golden hall as they made their way toward the magnificent throne at its deepest point.
"Greetings, Great General!" As they reached the base of the dais, both dropped to one knee, bowing low in respect.
"Oh, you've come. At ease... Here—this is the latest intelligence on Najenda."
Selene rose from her golden throne, and with a graceful wave of her hand, a stack of documents compiled by Liver floated before the two assassins.
"As for your mentor and foster father, Gozuki—allow me to express my condolences once again. He may not have served under me for long, but he was still one of my own. I promise you—his death will be avenged."
Selene sighed softly, stepping down from the throne. She placed a hand on each of their shoulders in what appeared to be a comforting gesture.
Of course, inwardly, she couldn't have cared less about Gozuki's death—but appearances had to be maintained. The crocodile tears were part of the act. By now, such masks came to her as naturally as breathing.
Helping them to their feet, Selene continued, "Take this intelligence. Study it carefully—it may aid you in your vengeance."
Then, turning her head slightly, she called out, "Arisa!"
"I'm here!"
"Make the preparations. Escort these two back to the Imperial Capital."
Everything was in motion.
The time for seizing power—and overthrowing the throne—was drawing near.